NIA multi-state crackdown: 32 locations raided of banned BKI outfit, Lawrence Bishnoi mafia

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday seized several illegal arms and ammunition, along with incriminating documents, digital devices and cash, in a massive multi-state crackdown in three cases relating to conspiracies and activities of the banned Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the Lawrence Bishnoi Crime Syndicate, among others.

A total of 32 locations in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, as well as the UT of Chandigarh, were raided on Thursday by NIA teams as part of the mega operation that began early morning.

The seizures in the searches included two pistols, two magazines and ammunition, along with cash amounting to Rs 4.60 lakhs, besides documents and digital devices.

The three cases in which the NIA swooped down relate to the terror activities being carried out by the BKI, a banned terrorist organisation, and the terrorist-gangster networks operating in the country.

Such activities include smuggling and induction of terrorist hardware, such as arms and ammunition, explosives, IEDs etc., across the borders. The terror hardware is being used by operatives/members of terror outfits and organized criminal syndicates for carrying out bomb explosions, targeted killings, extortions, terror funding of terror outfits, etc. in various parts of the country.

First case related to BKI

Thursday’s crackdown involved raids at 16 locations related to the activities of the chiefs/members of BKI. NIA, which had registered the case suo moto on July 10, 2023, has identified Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa as among the key conspirators involved in hatching terror conspiracies as well as smuggling of arms and ammunition into Punjab. They have also been sending funds to their associates through various MTSS Channels for carrying out terrorist acts, as per NIA investigations.

Second case about Lawrence Bishnoi

A total of seven locations were raided in a registered by NIA against the organized crime syndicate being run on the directions of Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates, including Goldy Brar, under UA(P)A.

The Syndicate has spread its mafia-style criminal networks in several states of the country, as well as abroad, in active conspiracy with Harwinder Singh, a ‘designated Individual terrorist’. These networks have been involved in many sensational crimes, such as the murders of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala as well as religious and social leaders like Pardeep Kumar, besides large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals.

Third case on terrorist networks

The third case in which nine raids were conducted on Thursday relates to various proscribed terrorist organisations/criminal gangs based in India and abroad, which have been involved in hatching terror and criminal conspiracies in various parts of the country.

The searches were part of NIA’s continuous crackdown on terrorist outfits and individual terrorists engaged in carrying out criminal/terrorist activities in India, as well as their support networks.